SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Coast Guard announced, Tuesday, a crane barge is headed to Culebra, Puerto Rico, for Resolve Marine contractors to remove the grounded sailing vessel Obsession from the reef just off Flamenco Beach.
A Resolve Marine 400-ton shear-leg barge, 164-foot in length and 54-foot wide, being towed by tugboat from Baltimore, Maryland, is expected to arrive to Puerto Rico before the end of the month.
The crane barge carries an a-frame structure with the capacity to do a clean lift during vessel removal operations. Once the barge is maneuvered into position and logistical arrangements are completed, Resolve Marine teams will lift the sailing vessel and deliver it to a location and facility to be determined.
During vessel removal operations, one of the greatest concerns for responders is the peak of hurricane season and how potential severe weather could impact response efforts and the transport of the vessel Obsession.
“Fortunately, the passing of Tropical Storm Ernesto did not affect conditions at the work site as the vessel Obsession remains aground and stable with no signs of external pollution,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jamie Testa, Sector San Juan Federal On-Scene Coordinator representative for this case. “As we wait for arrival of the crane barge, we continue to work with the experts from Resolve Marine, Clean Harbors LLC, Sea Tow, the vessel owner, and our local and federal partner agencies who have been fully invested in taking every possible measure to protect the environment and minimize any further impacts to the reef and surrounding marine life.”
Resolve Marine and Clean Harbors, LLC crews completed the bulk removal of approximately 1,500 gallons of diesel from the four fuel tanks and a day tank onboard the sailing vessel, July 31, 2024. Despite completing the fuel removal, responders estimate a substantial pollution threat remains aboard the vessel Obsession. The amount of remaining oil products and hazardous materials are difficult to quantify due to the machinery, tanks (including a hydraulic tank) and access hatches being completely submerged or inaccessible.
Responders continue to monitor and plan to protect the sensitive environment and susceptible endangered species and critical habitat to any amounts of discharge. Throughout the response, personnel from the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducted preliminary underwater assessments to determine the impacts on the reef caused by the vessel grounding. Thus far, they have been able to recover and safeguard various species of live corals that will be used to rehabilitate the impacted area.
The ongoing emergency Endangered Species Act consultation process helped identify and develop best management practices to protect species and critical habitats of Green, Kemp’s Ridley, Leatherback, and Hawksbill Sea turtles; giant manta ray, oceanic whitetip shark, scalloped hammerhead, Nassau grouper, Queen conch; and boulder, elkhorn, lobed star, mountainous star, pillar, staghorn, and rough cactus corals. There have been no reported impacts to marine life in the area, pending the reef damage assessment.
The Coast Guard federalized pollution response efforts and established an Incident Command, Friday, for the vessel Obsession, a 72-foot sailing catamaran that ran hard aground on a reef July 21, 2024. The established Incident Command includes an environmental unit comprised by subject matter expert representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, who have been coordinating and collaborating in this effort since the day of the incident.
The vessel Obsession reportedly was traveling with four people onboard from Puerto Rico to the British Virgin Islands when it ran aground during a stop in Culebra, Puerto Rico. No injuries were reported from the grounding.
For breaking news, follow us on X (formerly Twitter). For additional information, find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.
Make a difference on land, at sea or in the air with the Coast Guard. Visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn more about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.